Simple Strategies to Gain the Confidence to Speak up at Work
You’re doing yourself and your colleagues a disservice when you hold back from speaking up at work. Remember, you were hired because your company saw the value you’d bring. Your ideas, questions, and input are just as important as anyone else’s in the room.
Many people have a fear of public speaking, and I get it. It’s easy to doubt yourself in a room of leaders and other people that you respect, but your silence isn’t getting you anywhere. Learning how to speak up will help you stay engaged with your peers and the task at hand, as well as help you be seen as a thought partner and invaluable member on the team.
Gaining the confidence to speak up at work isn’t going to happen overnight. It’s going to take a few adjustments to your daily habits and a little bit of time. But don’t worry – you’ll get there! Here are some tips to help you along the way:
1. Start small
If the thought of speaking up in a meeting with a dozen people paralyzes you, don’t push yourself to that point. Start with a trusted co-worker or schedule a one-on-one meeting with your team leader. As you get more comfortable voicing your ideas, opinions, and questions to one person, take it to team meetings and work your way up from there.
2. Write it out
Public speaking can seem scary because you don’t want to accidentally say the wrong thing. You can avoid this by writing out exactly what you want to say and repeating it to yourself a few times. Writing down your thoughts and feelings also gives you a chance to process them and say what you really mean instead of the first words that come to mind.
3. Ask for help
Tell someone at work that you trust that you want to be more vocal in meetings. You can practice public speaking skills together and ask them for feedback on your ideas before you voice them to the group. They may even help include you in conversations more by saying, “I know (insert your name) had a good idea, could you tell everyone what you mentioned to me earlier?”
4. Remind yourself that your voice matters
You have a seat at the table for a reason. You went through the application and interview process, and you were not put in your position by mistake. Your colleagues want to hear what you have to say!
Even though becoming comfortable with public speaking is scary, it’s worth overcoming your fears.
Want more tips?
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